Most video games don't have to cost sixty dollars.
Look at Light's End, a top-down NES throwback with a price tag an eighth of what most games run for. Luckily, price doesn't equal quality. X-box Fan Force sat down with Light's End creator Ryan Thorlakson to help shed some light (no pun intended) on one of X-box Live's Indie Games.
XBFF: What is your background in the video game industry?
RT: I'm Ryan Thorlakson, age 25, living in Kirkland, WA. I've played games as far back as I can remember, starting with the NES. I went to DigiPen Institute of Technology in Redmond, WA. They are a tech school that focuses on game development. I got a 4 year bachelor's degree in a computer science equivalent. Then I worked at Snowblind Studios for two and a half years as a programmer working on Justice League Heroes and their upcoming project. I then took a break from employment to develop Light's End over 9 months. Now, I just got a new job working for Valve as a programmer.
XBFF: What made you choose game design?
RT: Really, I'm a programmer who loves designing games too. I've been designing games as far back as I can remember. I remember in first grade, when we were supposed to be keeping daily journals, I'd draw game levels instead. I love the thrill of crafting an experience for other people and the puzzle of accounting for all the possibilities.
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Thorlakson credits the retro visual style of Light's End to his love for classic
RPGs including Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger
XBFF: Is Light’s End your first game?
RT: No way! In game development, you've got to start small and work your way up. I've made tons of games over the years, starting with simple text games in fifth grade. I made five full-featured games at DigiPen and several other indie games, though none quite like Light's End, which is my first Xbox Live Community/Indie Games project. You can visit my professional website to check out a lot of the games I have made, and even download and play them!
XBFF: What lead to the more adult oriented storyline, like slavery and witchcraft and child abuse, as opposed to more traditional storylines like Good vs. Evil or Save the Princess?
RT: Wow, the question makes it sound extreme! The strict actions of Crystal's father are really punishment, not full-blown child abuse. I wouldn't say the material is "adult" In any case, it's true that the story was written in a way to be as interesting as possible and tries to avoid cliches. Since the main emphasis and strength of the game is storytelling, it was important to make it original and memorable.
XBFF: How do you feel about Light’s End? Have people been saying good things?
RT: I'm really happy with how it turned out! I think my initial vision comes across very well in the final game. People have been saying a lot of good things about it. It was positively reviewed by IGN and some other smaller game review sites. I've been getting fan mail and even a few donations through the website. There's also a lot of people dropping by the game's forums and sharing how much they enjoyed playing the game. You can check out the forums for yourself at www.lightsendgame.com.
XBFF: Are there any games that greatly influenced you as a game designer?
RT: Too many to list. I've played tons of games! Focusing on SNES inspirations, some of my favorites are Final Fantasy 4/5/6, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Illusion of Gaia, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Secret of Evermore.
Light's End gives players the ability to switch freely between the game's characters
XBFF: Are you working on anything new?
RT: Right now I'm focusing on my new employment at Valve. I've got to start paying the bills again, since the low number of people checking out Xbox 360 Community/Indie Games is not enough for Light's End to break even, let alone make money. Light's End has sold about 1,200 copies so far, but would have to sell 13,000 to recoup living expenses! Don't make high content games on Indie Games, kids! In the future, I'm definitely interested in working on new indie projects, but I don't have any details on what those might be yet. Light's End is an elegantly self-contained story, so I don't feel a great need for a sequel.
XBFF: What are the pros of being an independent game designer? Cons?
RT: The biggest benefit is creative control. Your word is law, and there's no publishers or managers to hold you back. This gives a lot of room for creative expression and allows for a lot of innovation you don't see in mainstream games. The biggest disadvantage is that you are taking all the risk on to yourself. Light's End, for example, even though it's a great game that a lot of people have enjoyed, will lose money. That's the reality of game development: only the big hits make money. That's why it's an advantage to have a publisher take that risk for you.
XBFF: What are some other independent games people should know about?
RT: If you liked Light's End, definitely check out Clover on Xbox Indie Games. It's a really well done adventure/platformer with some nice dialog and story. Also, if you haven't played Braid on Xbox Live Arcade, please do it now, and play it all the way through to the end, even if you get frustrated by puzzles and have to use a guide. It's an unforgettable experience.
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